Chapter 13.1: The Journey North - Towards the Town of Greenvale (IV)
Year 0003, Month VIII-X: The Imperium
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Day 26-28: Three Days After their Departure
The sheer magnitude of their journey became increasingly apparent with each passing day. The principality of Ogind alone stretched across thousands of kilometers, and traveling on foot through the northern territories could take years to traverse completely. Even Andy, seasoned as he was, admitted he had explored barely ten percent of the central continent during his extensive travels.
Their current subcontinent, along with the western and central subcontinents, encompassed a staggering seventy million square kilometers. At its heart lay the Great Caldera of Arkanus, a massive meteorite depression that was formed thousands of years ago, now it had healed and turned into a lush and untouched forest spanning 210,000 square kilometers—a geological wonder that dominated the landscape like a sleeping giant. Surrounding this natural marvel were the various Great Forest Regions, their combined area reaching four million square kilometers of dense, ancient woodland that had stood since time immemorial.
These statistics didn't even account for the stretch of mountain ranges that carved through the central subcontinent in half like the spine of some primordial beast. These towering peaks could be seen from the northernmost tip of the central continent to its southernmost end, their snow-capped summits rising majestically into the sky. The mountains boasted an average height of two kilometers, with some of the more imposing peaks reaching a maximum of five kilometers into the heavens, their peaks often shrouded in perpetual clouds.
Fortunately for August and his company as traveling merchants, the principality of Ogind was a more manageable size 50,000 square kilometers. Its capital city was strategically positioned close to the southern border, nestled near the Great Central-West River that served as a natural boundary dividing the Central-Western subcontinent from the Central-Eastern subcontinent.
If coming from the Village of Maya, traveling in a straight line without any interruptions or detours, the distance to the Capital City of Gremory was approximately 5,000 kilometers. Given their current traveling speed and the reality of following established roads rather than cutting through wilderness, they estimated the journey would take them roughly a month or two to complete.
After three days of steady progress, they now found themselves approximately 3,000 kilometers away from the Capital City of Gremory. Their pace had improved considerably over the past few days, covering an impressive 150 kilometers daily. The decision to bypass smaller villages and towns had proven wise, allowing them to maintain their momentum while preserving the goods inside the magical crates that August had hunted and gathered for his daily, weekly, and monthly system missions.
Currently, August had reached level 19—tantalizingly close to another milestone level at 20 that would unlock new abilities and strengthen his existing skills. Though his progress seemed slow to an outside observer, given the relatively low-level beasts he was currently engaging, the steady experience, stat/sub-stat gained from his systematic mission completion provided a reliable foundation for growth. The system's structured approach to advancement was proving more valuable than sporadic high-level encounters.
The group had settled into a comfortable routine that began with August's rigorous early morning regimen. Both Marcus and Sibus had gradually incorporated these exercises into their daily lives after witnessing the remarkable transformation in Andy's physical condition. Though Andy hadn't revealed the full circumstances of his past—the fact that he was a former slave who had escaped from the clutches of the notorious Underworld Syndicate Corvus remained a closely guarded secret, shared only with official villagers of Maya—he had shared enough to convince them of the regimen's effectiveness.
The visible evidence spoke for itself: Andy had arrived at the village thin and severely malnourished, his body bearing the scars of hardship and neglect. Through the combined efforts of August's training program and the villagers' care, he had regained not only his muscle mass but also his strength and vitality, currently even surpassing his former self as a mercenary. Each day of following August's regimen had brought noticeable improvements in his health and physical capabilities.
Inspired by this transformation, Marcus and Sibus had committed to the same routine over the past three days. Already, they could feel the positive effects—increased energy, better sleep despite the hard ground, and a growing sense of physical confidence that would serve them well in the challenges ahead.
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Day 29-35: The Second Month of Fall
As autumn deepened its hold on the land, the trees began their annual transformation, shedding most of their leaves in preparation for the harsh winter months ahead. The landscape around them shifted from the vibrant greens of summer to the golden browns and russets of fall, creating a tapestry of color that stretched to the horizon.
Their journey had continued unabated for ten consecutive days, during which they had covered an additional 1,500 kilometers. With only half that distance remaining, the Capital City of Gremory seemed within reach, no longer a distant dream but a tangible destination on the horizon.
However, their immediate plans called for a well-deserved respite. Tomorrow, on the eighth day of the new month, they would reach the mid-sized town of Greenvale, where they intended to rest and recuperate for two full days. The prospect of sleeping in actual beds rather than on the hard ground filled them with anticipation, and their bodies craved the comfort that only proper rest could provide.
More practically, they desperately needed to sell their accumulated wares. Their magical crates had reached full capacity, forcing them to utilize even the storage container Miss Ruthy had provided for the beasts of burden's fodder and various tools needed for animal care. The success of their hunting and gathering efforts had created a welcome problem of abundance.
The effectiveness of the magical crates had impressed them all, leading to plans for expansion. They intended to purchase two additional crates in Greenvale, which would bring their total carrying capacity to 4.5 tons. This would bring them close to their wagon's maximum capacity, though their two six-legged horses remained more than capable of handling the load. Each magnificent beast could pull approximately ten tons individually, and the presence of wheels made their burden even more manageable.
Under normal circumstances, they rarely traveled with full cargo, making the journey easier for their faithful animals. Only when navigating steep or sharply inclined paths did they encounter any difficulty, and even then, August's superhuman strength provided a simple solution. His ability to push the wagon from behind, providing the additional force needed to overcome challenging terrain, never failed to amaze his companions.
The sight of August single-handedly moving their heavily loaded wagon remained one of the most mind-boggling spectacles his companions had witnessed. Even Andy and Marcus, who had been traveling with him for weeks, still found themselves staring in disbelief at feats of strength that seemed to defy the natural laws of their world. It was a reminder that their young leader possessed abilities far beyond those of ordinary men.
Despite the potential dangers of the road, their journey had proceeded remarkably smoothly. While they had encountered several groups of bandits and highway robbers—an unfortunate reality of long-distance travel—these threats had been easily dispatched by the combined skills of August and Andy. Each encounter had provided not only immediate safety but also unexpected benefits in the form of confiscated valuables and potentially useful information.
Andy, with his mercenary background, understood that justice often came with practical rewards. The money and intelligence gathered from these encounters served multiple purposes—funding their journey while providing valuable insights into regional threats and opportunities. Over the past few days, they had acquired 150 local gold coins directly from the bandits and robbers, plus an additional 200 gold coins from bounties collected by turning these criminals over to town guards.
Most of these miscreants carried warrants or had bounties on their heads, making their capture profitable as well as morally satisfying. Importantly, these earnings were kept separate from their legitimate trading profits and wouldn't appear in their official account ledger. After collecting their bounties, they would promptly return to the road, maintaining their schedule while contributing to regional security.
The past seven days had been filled with light-hearted travel, creating an atmosphere that was both tranquil and educational. For August, every day brought new learning experiences and opportunities to understand the world beyond his village. His companions both new and old, in turn, had learned much about their young leader's character, and their friendship had deepened to the point where they could trust each other completely in dangerous situations.
As another week passed, they found themselves camping just one kilometer outside the mid-sized town of Greenvale. Though they could have pushed through to reach the town that evening, they chose to make camp and approach the settlement fresh in the morning. This would allow them to present themselves as respectable merchants rather than road-weary travelers arriving under cover of darkness.
The decision to bypass other towns during their journey had been strategic, driven by Marcus's knowledge of Greenvale's unique attractions. The town boasted natural hot springs renowned for their health rejuvenation effects—a luxury that promised not only physical relief but also potential healing benefits for their travel-worn bodies. The prospect of soaking in these therapeutic waters had motivated them to maintain their pace, knowing that true rest and recovery awaited them.
As night fell over their camp, the lights of Greenvale twinkled in the distance like earthbound stars, promising comfort, commerce, and perhaps adventure. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and experiences for their company of traveling merchants, but tonight they rested with the satisfaction of another successful leg of their journey behind them.
The road ahead remained long, but with each passing day, they grew stronger as both individuals and as a team. Their destination might still be distant, but their resolve had never been firmer, and their friendship had never been stronger.